Devin Douglas Mesoraco Bio Info

Was the Reds' first-round selection (15th overall) in the June 2007 draft...was just the third catcher ever taken by the Reds with their top pick (Dan LaMar in 1979, Dan Wilson in 1990)...in 2014 was named to his first All-Star team by National League manager Mike Matheny, finished 21st in the Baseball Writers' Association of America's NL Most Valuable Player Award voting and joined Johnny Bench as the only catchers in Reds history to produce at least 25hr and 80rbi in a season...shares franchise records for consecutive apps with a home run (5g, 6/19-6/24, 2014) and grand slams in a season (3, 2014)...was nominated for the 2015 Phi Delta Theta Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for his character and leadership both on and off the field...in 2011 received the Mary E. Barney Award as Louisville's Most Valuable Player, was an International League and Baseball America Class AAA All-Star and participated in the Sirius XM All-Star Futures Game at Ari's Chase Field...following the 2011 season was rated by field managers as the best defensive catcher in the International League...in 2010 received the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award as the organization's Minor League Player of the Year...in 2007 graduated from Punxsutawney (PA) Area High School, where he set school career records for walks (91), runs (122), hits (101), doubles (25), home runs (18) and stolen bases (35)...also set school single-season records for walks (31, 2007) and runs scored (40, 2005)...as a senior was named Pennsylvania's Gatorade Player of the Year.

2016

Following season-ending shoulder and hip injuries is expected to be catching by mid- to late-January 2017...made just 16 apps and 13 starts for the Reds before he suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury that required surgery on 5/10...on 7/18 had surgery on his right hip to repair labral and bony abnormalities..made his last appearance of the season in a start on 4/27 at NYM...because of a hip injury in 2015 and the shoulder/hip injuries in 2016, the last 2 seasons combined for just 39 apps and 18 starts.

2015

On 6/29 had season-ending surgery to repair an impingement in his left hip...hip specialist Dr. Bryan Kelly repaired the torn labrum and removed a spur...made just 23 apps for the Reds, including all 5 of his starts at catcher in the team's first 5g of the season through 4/11...became the first catcher to start each of the Reds' first 5 games since Jeff Reed in 1989...early in the season was bothered by discomfort in his left hip and from 4/13-4/15 missed the series at Wrigley Field while receiving treatment in Cincinnati...following an appearance as a defensive replacement behind the plate on 4/12, didn't play again until a pinch-hitting appearance on 4/21...made his last 17 apps of the season as a pinch hitter (13g) and designated hitter (4gs) before he went on the disabled list on 5/25...made his last appearance of the season as the designated hitter on 5/20 at KC and his last start behind the plate on 4/11 vs StL...on 6/8 was sent to Louisville on a rehabilitation assignment but made only 3 starts, all in LF, before he was sidelined again with soreness in the hip...were his first professional apps at a position other than catcher...on 6/12 was returned from the rehabilitation assignment and had surgery 17 days later...on 7/20 was transferred to the 60-day disabled list...as a pinch hitter in the 4-3 win on 5/12 vs Atl produced his first career walkoff hit, an RBI-double off Jason Grilli.

2014

Was named to his first All-Star team by National League manager Mike Matheny...finished 21st in the BBWAA's NL Most Valuable Player Award voting...led all Major League catchers in HR and RBI...joined Johnny Bench as the only players in Reds history whose primary position was catcher to produce at least 25hr and 80rbi in a season...Mesoraco's 24hr as a catcher were the most by a Red since Bench hit 30 at that position in 1977 and his 76rbi at that position were the most by a Red since Eddie Taubensee had 87 (21hr) in 1999...with 440 plate apps, Mesoraco became become only the third catcher in Major League history to produce at least 24hr and 76rbi in 450 plate apps or fewer, joining LAD's Mike Piazza (24hr, 92rbi in 1994) and Tex' Ivan Rodriguez (27hr, 83rbi in 2000)...from 6/19-6/24 homered in 5 straight apps (5hr, 12rbi), tying the club record (6th time, most recently by Adam Dunn in May 2008)...hit 3 grand slams, also tying the club's single-season record (6th time, most recently by Chris Sabo in 1993)...despite 2 stints on the disabled list (3/30-4/6 with a strained oblique, 4/26-5/15 with a strained left hamstring) still tied Todd Frazier for the team lead in RBI, ranked second to Frazier in HR and tied for the club lead in doubles...established career highs in most statistical categories...in the batting order hit third (2gs), fourth (53gs), fifth (19gs), sixth (15gs), seventh (15gs) and eighth (1gs on 4/8 at StL in his season debut)...hit safely in each of his first 11 apps of the season, a career high hitting streak and the longest by a Reds batter to begin a season since Barry Larkin began the 1995 campaign with a 12-game hitting streak...his .541 average through his first 10 apps was the highest by a Reds batter over his first 10 apps (20ab minimum) since Bubbles Hargrave went 12-for-22 (.545) in 1926...in the span covering his first 13 apps overall, he led all Major League hitters in batting average (.468) and on-base percentage (.509) and ranked second in slugging percentage (.787; Albert Pujols 1st, .806) before he was disabled again with the hamstring injury...returned from his second DL stint on 5/16 and in that night's 3-0 win at Phi hit a 3-run HR off Kyle Kendrick in his first plate appearance...on 4/8 at StL made his season debut and doubled in each of his first 2 plate apps...on 5/19 at Wsh batted cleanup for the first time in his career and became the first Reds catcher to hit fourth since Ramon Hernandez on 5/29/09 at Mil...on 5/27 at LAD made his first career appearance batting third in the order...in the 6-4 win on 5/30 at Ari produced his second career grand slam (off Bronson Arroyo), his second career 2-homer game and 5rbi...joined Andy Seminick, Smoky Burgess and Bench as the only catchers in Reds history to hit 2 homers, including a grand slam, in the same game...in the 7-2 win on 8/10 vs Mia had 2 homers, including a grand slam, and a career-high 6rbi, the most by a Reds batter in a game all season...his record-tying 5-game home run streak was extended on 6/23 at Chi by a grand slam off Hector Rondon with 2 outs in the ninth inning and on 6/24 at Chi by a homer off Neil Ramirez with 1 out in the ninth...also during that streak, from 6/19-6/23 became the first player in Major League history to produce in 4 consecutive games and in succession a solo HR, 2-run HR, 3-run HR and grand slam...the bat he used during the 5-game home run streak was sent to the Cooperstown Hall of Fame...on 8/29 at Pit singled to lead off the seventh inning and break up Edinson Volquez' no-hit bid...during spring training didn't play after 3/17 because of the oblique injury and missed the Reds' first 6g of the regular season.

2013

Led the team in starts at catcher (84) and innings caught (782.0), both career highs...Reds pitchers went 46-38 in his starts and posted a 3.40era when he caught...threw out 13-56 baserunners attempting to steal (23%)...caught 2 of the staff's 5 complete games and 7 of its 17 shutouts...was bothered by a sore back early in July and on 7/8 at Mil caught the entire game as the Reds' only healthy catcher...as a pinch hitter in the 5-4 win vs Atl on 5/7, with 2 outs in the ninth inning homered off a 3-2 pitch from Craig Kimbrel to tie the score at 4-4 and then Shin Soo-Choo followed with another homer to win it...was his first career pinch-hit HR...in the 8-3 win on 8/3 vs StL produced his first career 2-HR game (3rbi)...in the 11th inning of the 6-4 win on 6/29 at Tex snapped the 4-4 tie with a 2-run HR off Kyle McClellan, his first career extra-inning homer...in the 10-inning, 6-5 win on 9/20 at Pit produced a 2-out, 2-run single that tied the score at 5-5...caught the last 2 innings of the 6-2 Wild Card playoff loss at Pit.

2012His 5 homers were the most by a Reds rookie catcher since Dann Bilardello hit 9hr in 1983...
Reds pitchers posted a 24-24 record in his 48 starts and a 4.19era while he caught ... on 8/21 and 8/22 served
a 2-game suspension for his actions on 7/30 vs SD, when he was ejected by HP umpire Chad Fairchild ...
originally was suspended for 3g ... earlier in that 7/30 game suffered a concussion in a collision at the plate and
from 8/1-8/8 was on the 7-day concussion disabled list ... on 8/23 was reinstated from the suspension list and
optioned to Louisville ... made 5 apps there before he returned to the Reds on 9/2 and made 2 apps the rest
of the season for Cin ... on 5/24 vs Atl and 5/26 vs Col homered in consecutive games (2hr, 5rbi) ... in the sixth
inning of the 6-3 win vs Atl on 5/24 erased the 2-1 deficit with his first career grand slam (off Kris Medlen) ...
on 6/24 vs Min recorded his first career stolen base ... 3 times was used as a pinch runner...was not on the
Postseason roster ... entered the 2012 season rated the organization's top prospect.2011In his Major League debut made 18 apps and 13 starts as a
September callup...started each of the Reds' last 5g and 9 of their last 11g...Reds
pitchers posted a 4.78era while he caught and went 7-6 in his 13 starts...threw out 2-9 baserunners attempting
to steal (22%)...on 9/3 at StL made his Major League debut as a pinch hitter and doubled on Mitchell Boggs' first
pitch...hit his first career homer on 9/12 vs Chi (solo off Rodrigo Lopez)...on 9/1 was recalled from Louisville,
where he received the Mary E. Barney Award as the club's Most Valuable Player...was an International League
mid-season and post-season All-Star and a Baseball America Class AAA All-Star...also participated in the XM
All-Star Futures Game at Ari's Chase Field...was rated by field managers as the best defensive catcher in the
International League...led the Bats in doubles, total bases and walks and tied for the team lead in hits...ranked
among the IL leaders in intentional walks (6, T1st), doubles (36, 4th) and extra-base hits (53, T5th)...ranked
fourth in the organization in doubles...in the Bats' 8-inning, 5-4 win in the nightcap of a doubleheader on 4/12
vs Columbus hit Josh Judy's first pitch for a walkoff homer...homered twice on 8/23 vs Toledo...was rated
by Baseball America as one of the Top 100 prospects in baseball...entered the season rated the third-best
prospect in the organization, behind only LHP Aroldis Chapman and IF Billy Hamilton, and by mid-season
was rated the 15th-best prospect in baseball.2010Became the first catcher to receive the Sheldon
"Chief" Bender Award as the organization's Minor League Player of
the Year...in 113 apps at 3 minor league levels hit .302 with 26hr and
75rbi...led all Reds farmhands in HR and ranked among the leaders
in hitting (6th) and RBI (4th)...was the organization's Minor League Player of the Month for April...began the
season at Class A Lynchburg, then was promoted to Class AA Carolina on 5/29 and to Class AAA Louisville
on 8/17...made his Triple-A debut on 8/18 vs Syracuse and hit a walkoff grand slam off Atahualpa Severino,
the first walkoff slam by a Bats player since 1994...in his next plate appearance, in the second inning on 8/19
vs Syracuse, hit a grand slam off Andrew Kown...became the first player in franchise history to hit grand slams
in consecutive plate apps or on consecutive days...played for the Peoria Seguaros in the prestigious Arizona
Fall League (18g, .242, 6 2b, 1 3b, 2hr, 11rbi)...participated in the AFL's Rising Stars Game.2009Spent the season at Class A Sarasota, where he appeared in 92g...on 8/7 went on the disabled
list with a strained right forearm and didn't play again the rest of the season...entered the campaign rated
the 10th-best prospect in the organization by Baseball America...at 20 years old was a non-roster invitee to
Major League spring training camp.2008Played at Class A Dayton in his first full professional season...on 7/10 vs Wisconsin belted his first career
grand slam...had a 2-homer game on 7/21 at Clinton...had a season-high 4 hits on 8/15 at Great Lakes...was
the recipient of the Dernell Stenson Award as the organization's Florida Instructional League Most Valuable
Player.2007Made his professional debut on 6/26 at GCL Twins (1-4, double)...belted his first pro homer on
8/3 vs GCL Red Sox (2-4)...following the season was named by Baseball America as the eighth-best prospect
in the organization and the 11th-best prospect in the Gulf Coast League.